Sign bracket



April 5, 1938. c, H, KLEIN 1113 1 0 SIGN BRACKET Filed May 14, 1937 INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEYO'.

Patented Apr. 5, 1938 UNITED STATES SIGN BRACKET Charles H. Klein, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The National Telephone Supply Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 14, 1937, Serial No. 142,603

1 Claim.

This invention relates, as indicated, to sign brackets, but has reference more particularly to improvements in the type of sign bracket disclosed in Zahonyi Patent No. 1,770,564, which is owned by the assignee of the present application.

In Fig. 3 of the Zahonyi patent there is disclosed a sign support consisting of a bracket A having a straight central perforated portion l and perforated ends 3 and 9 which lie in a plane parallel with the central portion, and a strap member 12 bent to conform with the outline of the post to which the bracket is secured and having outwardly directed flanges secured to the ends 8 and 9 of the bracket. The strap is provided with uniformly spaced perforations for the entire length thereof, and in practice is cut, in desired lengths, from a roll or long length of easily bent galvanized strap iron.

In bending the length of galvanized iron forming the strap, to'form the outwardly directed flanges, it is desirable to bend the metal in the area between successive perforations. However, due to the weakness of the metal across the perforations, the metal will invariably bend at the perforations, resulting in poor adjustment of the strap on the pole. Moreover, and what is of greater concern, the bending causes cracking or breaking of the galvanized coating of the strap in the areas of the bends with the result that the strap becomes subject to rapid deterioration, as by corrosion, etc.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a sign bracket which avoids the aforesaid disadvantages and shortcomings of the Zahonyi bracket, and which, for a given size, is adaptable for use with poles having a wider range of diameters than is the Zahonyi bracket.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claim; the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical means in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:-

Fig. l is a view in front elevation of a sign mounted upon a post by means of a bracket made in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a View in side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view in top elevation of a sign mounted upon a post by means of a bracket made in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a top view of the device as employed in. mounting signs upon posts having a larger diameter than that shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of a strap suitable for use with the bracket for mounting said bracket upon different sizes of posts;

Fig.6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the strap, taken on the line 5-6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail, showing the manner in which the sign is secured to the bracket.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the bracket 3 comprises a straight central portion 9 having a screw-threaded opening centrally thereof for reception of a screw W for securing a sign S thereto. -Extending from the ends of the central portion 9, and at right angles thereto, are short side portions H and [2, which it may be here noted, are considerably shorter than the corresponding sides 3 and 4 of the Zahonyi bracket. The bracket extends angularly outwardly for ashort distance as at l3 and M, where it is again bent to provide flanges l5 and i6 which lie in a plane substantially parallel with the central portion 9. The flange I6 is bentat one end to provide an end flange H which lies in a plane substantially parallel with the portions H and i2 of the bracket, and at a right angle to the flange I6. The bracket, as thus described, is so proportioned as to be adaptable for use with poles of various diameters.

Connected to the ends of the bracket 8 and bent to conform with the outline of the post P to which the bracket is secured, is a strap member l8 which may be made of strap iron, and is preferably cut to desired length and preformed as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, to provide an unper forated portion l9 which extends for the major portion of' the length of said member and a relatively short portion 20 having a multiplicity of uniformly spaced perforations 2|. The portion IQ of the strap member is provided with an angularly extending flange 22 having an opening 23 punched or drilled therein to receive a bolt. After being preformed, the strap member is galvanized in any desired manner.

The strap member, as thus described, differs from that shown in the Zahonyi patent in several important particulars. In the first place, it is a preformed or prefabricated member as contrasted with the strap member of the patent, which is made from long lengths of previously perforated and galvanized strap iron out to desired size in the field. By preforming the strap member, it may be made from unperforated and ungalvanized strap iron, in which event, it is necessary to perforate only one end thereof for a relatively short distance. In the second place, the strap member is provided at only one end with an angularly extending flange (22), and since this flange is formed by bending the strap iron in an unperforated area, and before galvanizing the strap member, there is no danger of bending across a perforation or breaking or cracking the galvanized coating. Moreover, the perforated end 20 of the strap member is not provided with an angularly extending flange, except when used with posts of extremely large or extremely small diameter, in which case the flange, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is formed by bending the metal but slightly. Consequently, there is no likelihood of breaking or cracking the galvanized coating at the perforated end of the strap member.

In securing the bracket to a post of relatively small diameter, as shown in Fig. 3, the flange 22 of the strap member is disposed so as to extend outwardly, and the flange l5 of the bracket is loosely secured to the flange 22 as by a bolt 24 and nut 25. The strap is then Wrapped tightly around the post P, a bolt 26 is placed in the nearest perforation 2| of the strap and extended through flange H of the bracket, and a nut 21 is placed on this bolt, but not drawn up tightly. The bolt 24 is then tightened and the tightening of bolt 26 completed.

In securing the bracket to a post P of relatively large diameter, as shown in Fig. 4, the flange 22 of the strap member is disposed inwardly.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the bracket is of such construction as to entirely obviate the necessity of forming sharp bends in the field, so that injury to the galvanized coating is precluded.

Moreover, by having the flange 22 of the strap member extend outwardly for small poles and inwardly for large poles, I am enabled to make two sizes of brackets serve the purpose of four sizes of brackets of the type disclosed in the Zahonyi patent.

As an additional refinement, the opening in the central portion 9 of the bracket is tapped, so that the sign S may be secured to the bracket by means of a screw I0 and lock washer 28 (see Fig. 7), thus dispensing with the use of nuts at this point, and the necessity for providing excessive clearance between the post and portion 9 of the bracket for manipulating a nut. The side portions H and I2 of the bracket may therefore be made much shorter than are the corresponding side portions 3 and 4 of the Zahonyi bracket.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the structure herein disclosed, provided the means stated by the following claim or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:-

A sign bracket adapted to engage supports of varying diameters, comprising a substantially U- shaped body formed of a continuous strip of metal having a central portion adapted to support a. sign, side portions extending outwardly from said central portion at substantially right angles thereto, substantially straight interme diate support engaging portions diverging outwardly from said side portions adapted to hold the sign engaging portion spaced from said support, end portions extending outwardly from the intermediate portions and disposed to lie in a plane substantially parallel with the central portion of the bracket, one of said end portions being bent to provide an end flange extending at an angle to said central portion, and means for securing said body to said support, said means comprising a one-piece metallic strap bent to conform with said support and having a multiplicity of uniformly spaced perforations for a short distance at one end thereof and an angularly extending perforated flange at the other end thereof, said perforated flange being secured to the unbent end portion of said body and the other end of said strap being secured to the end flange of said body.

CHARLES H. KLEIN. 

